Ozark Retreat (14 page)

The woman didn’t look happy as the two officers went around her and continued on their way.

“I figured as much,” Joshua said to the man he’d asked about what was going on. “By the way, I’m Joshua Hardcastle.”

“Jerry Bastigone. What do you think of all this war stuff? You think it’s real?”

Joshua was shocked. How could the man not believe it was real? “I do believe it. I was sitting in the dining room and saw the explosions on the coast.”

“Yeah. I know. Just wishful thinking on my part. What do you think the Captain will do?”

“I’m sure he is developing plans. I think going to Canada is a good start.”

“I guess so. Have to make the best of it. Mostly I’m worried about my wife. She’s not taking this well. I can’t get her to come out of the stateroom. I just wish I knew what to do.”

“Have the doctors’ check on her. Maybe they can give her something.”

“I think I will. Thanks. I’m kind of jittery, myself. You seem to be calm enough. That’s a big help to me. I’ll see you around. I’m going to go check on my wife.”

Joshua nodded and decided he’d better go check on Sue. He tried the stateroom first, knowing the chance of finding her there was slim. She wasn’t there. What was there, slid under the door, was the previous day’s financial accounting summary. It was normal procedure for the cruise line to provide each passenger a summary of their purchases using the onboard credit system.

He found he wasn’t that surprised when he saw the withdrawal from the deposit account. Sue was at it again. “I knew that ATM wouldn’t work,” he said aloud. He headed for the casino to find her, but he suddenly detoured to the ship’s bank. He withdrew the entire deposit, except for one hundred dollars and then continued his journey to the casino.

“Oh, good!” Sue said, when Joshua went up to her at the roulette table. “Honey, I need a little more cash. I’m right on the verge of winning.”

“Sue, Sweetie… I need to talk to you.”

“But I’m so close!”

“Please, Sue.”

Sue frowned but followed Joshua out of the casino. As soon as they were through the fancy double doors, Sue asked, “What is it, Sweetie? You in the mood again? That’s okay. You know me. I’m always ready.”

Joshua decided to let her think that. It would get her to the stateroom without a scene. She was already unzipping her skirt when Joshua unlocked the door to the stateroom.

“No, Sue. No. I didn’t bring you down here for that. Not this time.”

Sue let the skirt drop anyway. She’d always been able to manipulate him through sex. No reason she couldn’t do it again.

“Sue. Stop that,” he said, rather forcefully for him as Sue began to unbutton her blouse seductively.

Her hands dropped to her side, clinched into tiny fists. “What is it, Joshua?” Her anger was beginning to show through.

“It’s your spending. Don’t you understand what has happened? World War Three is raging right now. We’re off on this cruise with nothing but the shirts on our backs. And a little money.”

“You have plenty of money!” Sue laughed. “You’re stinking rich!”

“Not any more, Sue. Don’t you get it? My book wealth doesn’t mean a thing now. I can’t sell a few stocks to get you a new dress every week. All I have left is what I brought with me, and what is at the house, if it is even still there. Kansas City was probably a target. Money might not even be any good now. But as long as it is, we have to conserve what we have. It may come down to selling our jewelry.”

“Like hell! I’m not selling anything! You gave those things to me. I won’t let you take it back! If you can’t take care of me, I’ll just find someone that will!” Sue stormed out of the stateroom.

On a hunch, Joshua followed her, staying well behind. It was as he suspected. She’d headed straight to the ship’s bank. Joshua watched her find out there was only a hundred dollars left in the deposit account. She was livid and began to curse. The bank clerk hurriedly gave her the hundred, to get her to quiet down, since she did have signatory powers. Joshua shook his head. Precious had been one-hundred-percent right about Sue. He’d been a fool not to listen to his daughter. Now he was stuck with her. It wouldn’t be right to abandon her, as tempting as that would be.

He went to the ship’s library and started researching Canada and possible routes to Kansas City. Precious was a resourceful young woman. There was an excellent chance she had survived. Joshua planned on finding her. He began to plan what he would do when they got to Canada.

One of his problems was solved, he discovered, when he went to dinner in the dining room. There was Sue, draped on the arm of an elderly gentleman, beaming and laughing with those around her as they went into the dining room together. Sue had found another Sugar Daddy.

The talk at the table he shared with three couples was all about what was to be done now that the world was at war. Joshua stayed mostly silent, speaking only when one of the others spoke directly to him.

The consensus was that the cruise line had an obligation to take care of everyone on the ship for the duration. It was all Joshua could do not bellow with laughter at the naivety of the group.

After dinner Joshua went to the Smoking Parlor for a cigar. He ran into Jerry Bastigone having a cigarette. “How’s your wife doing?” Joshua asked.

“Same. I tried to get her to go to the infirmary, but she refused. I don’t know what to do. She can’t stay in the stateroom forever. Going to have to quit these things. May not ever be a supply again.”

Jerry lit another cigarette from the first one, belying his words. “What are you going to do when we get to Canada?” he asked Joshua.

“Head for Kansas City to find my daughter.”

“You sound so certain. I don’t have a clue what we will do. Try to settle down. I’m from New York. Not going to even think about going home. I’m sure I don’t even have one, now. Probably have to go back to working with my hands to pay my way. Own… Owned a construction company, but it’ll be back to hammer in one hand and nail in the other.” When Joshua didn’t comment, Jerry drifted away, leaving Joshua to his thoughts.

After his cigar, Joshua headed down to the Playroom and Arcade. Perhaps he could be of help again. There were only a couple of children, including the one young gentleman that had been the last to leave the other night. Joshua saw him in the Arcade. Patricia wasn’t there. Since they weren’t busy, she was taking a break. Disappointed, Joshua went out on deck. It was a bit cool this far north.

He took a turn around the deck. When he approached the stern of the ship he noticed their wake. It was curved. The ship was making a wide, sweeping turn, apparently heading for the Canadian coast line. Joshua went to the stateroom. Sue’s belongings were gone. Including her jewelry from the safe. So much for his responsibility for her welfare. She was now someone else’s responsibility. Joshua undressed and went to bed, thanking his lucky stars he’d taken his own things from the safe after he’d discovered the spending summary.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Joshua went to the dining room for breakfast the next morning. There weren’t that many eating in the dining room. The buffet had been busy when he passed it on his way down. Joshua started to take a bite of his Eggs Benedict when he heard something. He put down his fork. He knew that sound. It was a CF-18 buzzing the ship.

Like most of the others in the dining room he left his breakfast behind and went out on deck. A second CF-18, or more accurately, a CF-188, the Royal Canadian Air Force version of the F/A-18, flew by at ship’s stack height.

The two aircraft joined up in formation, made a wide sweeping turn and came toward the ship from the side, well ahead of the bow. When they were close, the lead plane fired a burst from the 20mm cannon, which was part of its armament.

People screamed and dashed away from the bow as the aircraft cut across it. Joshua couldn’t believe it. The Royal Canadian Air Force was warning them off. They weren’t going to be allowed to disembark on Canadian soil.

The Captain confirmed Joshua’s thought just after the jets took to a high altitude watch flight pattern. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that we are not going to be allowed to make landfall on Canadian soil. A boat will be sent out for our Canadian passengers. They will be allowed to disembark the ship and go home. I will advise you of our next course of action soon. Stay calm and do not despair. We will find a safe place to put to shore.”

There was pandemonium throughout the ship, passengers and crew alike. People were yelling epitaphs toward the unseen shoreline. Some people were just screaming. Others were crying. A few were trying to calm the others down.

Joshua turned and helped break up a fight. Two men had taken umbrage apparently with a Canadian passenger that was trying to defend Canada’s actions. Members of the ship’s crew rapidly hurried the Canadian away.

It was an hour before a Royal Canadian Navy patrol vessel rendezvoused with the motionless Elite. Many of the passengers and even some of the crew yelled more epitaphs and curses at those leaving the Elite and the crew of the patrol boat picking them up.

Joshua thought he was going to have to defend himself when he commented that he could understand why the Canadians were doing what they were doing. “Can’t really blame them,” he said. “Over two thousand people all in one place in the aftermath of a nuclear war? I don’t think I’d want them coming to my home, either.”

He made himself scarce as the ship began to move again. He wasn’t about to get into a fist fight over his opinion. Joshua started to head for the Smoking Parlor, but shook his head. “Jerry is right about quitting smoking. He might as well give it up now as later. Instead of the Smoking Parlor he went to the library. Canada was out. The New England states were out unless he really missed his guess.

Hopefully the Captain would announce where they were headed soon. For the moment Joshua would do a little general research on the southeast coast of the US. He found what he could on the area and then went down for lunch.

Things had changed on the ship after the episode that morning. Joshua noticed it as soon as he left the library. People were talking in whispers, grim expression on their faces. There had been worry before, of course, but now it was worse. Before there was a safe destination in mind. Now there was only speculation.

Another change was the meal. Much more limited menu and the serving sizes were smaller for the most part. Passengers complained.

Some of the crew was becoming less polite and ready to please. More passengers complained. Joshua had a feeling the ship’s officers were running into some employee relationship problems.

He had taken for granted the quick, courteous service of the officers and crew. Joshua quit doing that. He asked for little and expressed his thanks sincerely. He began tipping with ones for the little services he did get. He had a feeling that the crew might not be getting the accustomed tips at the end of the cruise. And that they knew it.

Joshua was right. There was full blown mutiny by dinner time. At least half the crew was refusing to work, from the looks of it. It was obvious in the dining room. The servers and bus people that were in evidence were covering twice or more their regular stations.

Many of the passengers made it worse, complaining to every crew member coming into earshot. Joshua noticed Sue and her new beau were some of the loudest of the bunch. Joshua quietly asked his server if there was some way he could help. She shook her head. “No, sir. Not now, anyway.” She hurried off when someone at another table called for her loudly.

Joshua was at a loss. He went on deck after dinner, trying to sort possibilities in his head. They were traveling southeast now. Away from the North American Continent at an angle. Joshua assumed it was to avoid fallout and the ship would turn back to the west when the Captain was sure there was no more fallout. When he went to his stateroom he had to make up the bed.

He woke up to an announcement that the dining room was closed. The other various daily options for meals were being discontinued, as well. Meals would only be available at the buffet and portions would be limited. No seconds allowed.

When Joshua went up it was a mob scene. He saw Jerry standing in an out of the way corner, watching. There was a woman with him this time. Joshua noted her wan appearance, and jerky movements. Her eyes were never still, darting here and there as people moved about.

“Won’t hurt me to miss a meal,” Joshua said, patting his stomach, trying for a little levity.

“I’ve got to get June something to eat. She hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.” Jerry turned appealing eyes to Joshua. “Would you wait here with her while I go try to get her something? She won’t go up to the buffet with all the people there. I’m afraid they’ll stop serving before she’s willing to get something herself.”

“Sure, Jerry. No worries.” Joshua tried to engage June in conversation, but she just ignored him. She stepped behind him when someone came near them.

Jerry worked his way up the line and was able to come back some time later with a plate of food. “You’d better hurry,” he told Joshua. “There’s not much left and they said there won’t be any more until dinner. No lunch.” He took his wife over to a vacant table and sat down beside her. Joshua thought he was going to have to feed her, but she finally picked up the fork and began to eat.

When Joshua went over after the line had thinned out, he found that Jerry was right. There were only a few odds and ends left. He took what he could get, considering there wouldn’t be anything until evening. Of course, there were still the items in the stateroom dispenser.

After he ate, Joshua tried to corral an officer to offer his assistance if they would take it. But they all seemed to be on missions of their own. He finally got one stopped long enough to make the offer. “Sir, the Captain will be addressing that issue this afternoon. Please wait until then and follow his lead.”

“Will do,” Joshua said. It sounded like the command crew was ready to let some of the passengers’ help where they could.

That was exactly what the Captain announced. He didn’t address the fact that some of the crew wasn’t working, only that there had been offers of help from passengers and he would allow it in specific circumstances. People would need to keep up their staterooms on their own. That staff was needed elsewhere.

Joshua was one of the first ones to sign up. They put him to work with a vacuum cleaner, cleaning the common areas. The Captain was determined to keep the ship clean and orderly, Joshua decided. He finally noticed that he wasn’t seeing any crew that wasn’t working. He wondered where the mutineers were, but didn’t ask.

Sue and her beau walked by and she laughed at him delightedly. “And to think I used to go out with you. I must have been out of my mind.” She was still laughing as they walked away.

Though he hadn’t expected it, Joshua found out there were a couple of perks for helping out. Those that worked that day were served meals in the crew’s mess. Nothing fancy or excessive, but a good, filling meal.

Jerry, when Joshua ran into him that evening, said it had been another mob scene at the buffet. June wasn’t with him.

“Were you able to get June to eat again?”

With a sad smile on his face, Jerry shook his head. “Only what she ate this morning. I don’t know what to do. She won’t go see the doctor. I hate leaving her in the room by herself, but I just have to get out and get a cigarette every once in a while. I can’t stand being in that stateroom for hours on end.”

“I understand,” Joshua told him. There wasn’t much else to say. They each were lost in their own thoughts for a while and then Joshua said he was going down to his stateroom to go to bed.

“This early?” Jerry asked.

“Used muscles today I haven’t used in years. I’m beat.”

“You volunteered?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I may do that tomorrow. For something to do.”

“It would probably help. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

Joshua was up bright and early the next morning, having gone to bed as early as he had. He was a little sore and decided a run on the deck would be good for him. He made a couple of laps and then saw Jerry and June near the stern of the ship. Just before he turned to go to a stairway and go down and join them, he saw June say something to Jerry and Jerry leave.

When Joshua got down to the deck, he met Jerry coming out from inside the ship. “June wanted a cup of coffee. I was able to finagle one.” Jerry looked around. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Joshua said. They each walked toward opposite side of the ship to look down the length of the decks for her. “You see her over there?” Joshua called.

“No. You?”

Joshua shook his head. “Maybe she went back down to the cabin for a sweater. It is pretty cool out and I noticed she was wearing a sleeveless dress.”

“Yeah. That’s her favorite dress.” Jerry handed Joshua the coffee. “I’m going to go check the stateroom.”

A few minutes later he came running back, panic in his eyes. “We have to stop the ship! She’s jumped!” He was waving a piece of paper. “She left a note! How do we stop the ship?”

Joshua ran to find an officer. Jerry was staring at the white wake of the ship. It was ten minutes before the ship began to slow and turn. Jerry ran to the furthest point he could go forward, and began to scan the ocean in front of them as the ship lined up with the wake.

Afraid Jerry would do something stupid, Joshua stayed right with him. A ship’s officer came up to them and began to question Jerry about his wife. Jerry showed him the note. “She just couldn’t handle what happened,” he said. He was crying now. “She can’t swim.”

The Elite came to a stop and lowered several of the life boats to search a wider area and then the Elite began searching again, too. It was almost dark when the lifeboats were recalled. “I’m sorry, sir,” said the officer. “We have to consider your wife lost at sea.”

“No! Jerry groaned. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing. Joshua and the officer got him up and down to the infirmary. Joshua stayed in the infirmary while the doctor talked to Jerry and gave him something to calm him and help him sleep. Joshua walked him back to the stateroom, made sure he got into bed and then went up see if there was any food left from the buffet dinner. There wasn’t.

Joshua got a can of nuts out of the self-serve dispenser in his stateroom and went to bed himself. He was exhausted mentally. Jerry’s wife’s suicide on top of the worry about his daughter was getting to him.

He went for a run on deck the following morning to work some more of the kinks out. Joshua noticed that their course was now to the southwest.

He was first in line for the breakfast buffet and then for the work details. It seemed to Joshua that there was a few more of the crew at work than there had been. It was the same for the next three days. Jerry joined him on the work details, saying it kept his mind off of his wife.

Joshua looked up from the deck as he was running the next day and saw a roughness to the horizon in front of the ship. They were approaching land.

After breakfast the public address system chimed and the Captain began speaking. “Ladies and Gentlemen. I am pleased to announce that we will be making landfall in the morning at Savanna, Georgia. We have had contact with amateur radio operators that say, though the city was hit with a nuclear missile, it missed the port. The radioactivity is down enough to allow a small volunteer crew to go in and look for fuel and food. We will not be able to remain. Everyone will be transferred to the life boats, which will remain offshore to avoid the radiation until the ship can refuel and restock if fuel and provisions are available.”

There were loud protests all around Joshua. Seems most of the people wanted to go to shore as soon as possible. Jerry looked over at Joshua. “What do you think? You going to try to get to shore?”

“Are you nuts? Right into a radiation zone? No way.”

Someone behind them had heard Joshua’s comment. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, fellow. He said the radiation was low enough to go in. He wouldn’t be doing that if there was any real risk. He just wants to get us off the ship so they can get the food and fuel and for themselves so they can go back to England.”